1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of anti-theft garment and product devices and, more particularly to a novel tag adapted to be releasably secured onto a product intended to be protected from theft, wherein such a tag includes a ball clutch for securing and releasing a pair of tag components.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the field of product loss prevention, various tags have been provided which are detachably connected to garments and which are used to activate an electronic surveillance system including an alarm which would alert attending personnel. Such previous tags usually have one component which includes a transmitter while the other component is employed as a fastening component for joining the two components to a garment. Such practice has been successful in preventing theft of garments; however, a need has existed to protect products as well such as expensive eyeglasses, beverage bottles or the like. Garment tags rely on insertion of a pin through the garment material so that the shank of the pin is attached to the transmitter component. In dealing with products such as eyeglasses and bottles, penetration of the product or article is not available so that a need has arisen to provide other means for attaching a two-component means for releasable securement onto a solid and non-penetrable product.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a two-component product protection device which may readily attach to the solid or unpenetrable material that not only contains means for actuating an electronic article surveillance system but includes a release mechanism so that the tag or device may readily be removed from the article at the time of purchase or by authorized personnel.
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a novel electronic article surveillance device or tag which includes a pair of components that are detachably connected together and which includes means for releasably grasping a portion of an article engaging with the article intended to be protected. The latter means is coupled between the two components and a selected one of the components includes an elongated prong or shaft which is insertably received within the other component and is held thereto by means of a ball clutch mechanism. The mechanism includes a tapered housing with an internal tapered wall surface which encloses a plug member having at least two balls carried in opposing grooves. The tapered.housing and the plug member include a coaxial passageway for insertably receiving an elongated shaft or pin from the first component. The plug member is resiliently biased to a first position by means of an expansion spring which causes the balls to bear against the tapered interwall of the housing urging the balls to restrict the passage-way. When the shank or pin of the first.component is occupying the passageway, the sides of the pin force the balls outwardly as the plug member moves to compress the spring. The widened mouth of the housing permits the balls to expand and does not place any restriction on the pin. However, should the first component with the pin be withdrawn by unauthorized personnel, the plug member will be pushed into the tapered recess of the housing by expansion of the spring and the balls will contract and restrict the shaft or pin member of the first component, so as to hold the component together.
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel two-component product protection device against theft or release by unauthorized personnel which includes a ball clutch mechanism permitting a restricted retention of the two components on an article or product and yet permits release thereof by authorized personnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ball clutch mechanism for releasably retaining a pair of components together about an article or product intended to be protected against theft.
Still a further object resides in providing a ball clutch mechanism for a product theft prevention tag that may be readily fastened to or unfastened from a product or product holding device which is solid and unpenetrable by a conventional prong or pin.